St Albans

St Albans' population increased by about 11,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of St Albans increased by 9.0%, from about 129,000 to 141,000.

The addition of almost 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, St Albans was home to, on average, 6.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older St Albans

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of St Albans increased by one year, from 38 to 39 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than Eastof England and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 3,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 16.0% of people in St Albans are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in St Albans

The percentage of St Albans residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.1% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.4%, while the percentage of St Albans residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.5% to 90.5%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Families in St Albans

St Albans saw Eastof England's largest fall in the proportion of households without children.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (57.6%) households in St Albans had no children, compared with 60.7% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 30.5% to 33.3%.

Across the region, Thurrock saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households without children (from 56.7% in 2001 to 54.1% in 2011).

The proportion of households without children was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in St Albans

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27.4% to 31.4%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.9% to 2.9%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of St Albans residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in St Albans remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in St Albans

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in St Albans was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.2 points.

In 2011, 27.9% of respondents in St Albans gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 18.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 18.2% to 30.0%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in St Albans, 64.5% said they were Christian, compared with 76.0% in 2001. About 0.2% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.1% to 8.0%.

In St Albans, 7.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.6% in 2001. In East, 7.3% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in St Albans increased by 8.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East and St Albans by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than in Welwyn Hatfield (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with St Albans).

In St Albans, the proportion of private renting increased from 8.6% in 2001 to 13.6% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Welwyn Hatfield increased from 6.6% to 13.6%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14.6%.

The rate of social housing in St Albans fell from 12.5% to 12.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 76.9% to 72.7%.

Private renting in St Albans increased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of households in St Albans, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of St Albans residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.9% to 3.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (87.0%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 75.5% in 2001. The percentage of St Albans residents that described their health as fair decreased from 18.6% to 9.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in St Albans decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in St Albans, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in St Albans

In 2011, 6.4% of St Albans residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 3.8% in 2001.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 88.4% of people in St Albans said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 93.1% in 2001. About 2.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.6% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 1.0% to 1.7%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in St Albans increased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of St Albans residents that were unemployed increased from 1.7% to 2.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56.6%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 57.5% in 2001. The percentage of St Albans residents that were self-employed increased from 10.3% to 12.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in St Albans increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in St Albans, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in St Albans, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.5% to 9.5% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 27.4%, while the percentage of households in St Albans which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 41.8% to 41.3%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.8% in 2001 to 10.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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